After Forever

Part 7

"I saw you talking to a guy earlier," Tay said when he finally approached New. He had waited in his car for more than 30 minutes just watching New and Arm talk. He even waited for ten more minutes after Arm had left before getting out of his own car.

"Oh, it was a business man, Arm Garcia," New responded nonchalantly. "He wanted to invest in my café. He seems to be a nice guy and he had great ideas."

Tay clenched his fist as he got ready to speak.

"There's something you need to know about him," he said as he sat down in front of New. "I know Arm. I've met him a few days ago. He's a business partner in one of our construction projects in Bulacan. He's a great guy business-wise. But.."

"But what?" New asked.

"You see, after we met at my office, he invited me for dinner."

"Okay. But you usually have dinner with your business partners right?"

"Yep. But this one's different. It was just the two of us."

New raised an eyebrow. "Go on."

"During dinner, he asked me if I was single. I told him I have a boyfriend."

"And?"

Tay took a deep breath. "And he said it doesn't matter. He said he might even make me happier than you do. He also knows about how your business is doing and he told me he would make a better business partner than you."

New looked down on his laptop for a few seconds before speaking.

"And you're only telling me about this now?"

"I'm sorry. I wanted to tell you the same night it happened but when I got home and we hugged, I thought there was no way I would choose anyone over you. Ever. I thought he was a random weirdo who wasn't a threat to us at all. But when I saw him approach you earlier, I realized he was probably serious about his intentions with me."

New looked out of the window for a while. "Well, it's true. He kinda seems like a really successful businessman. He's obviously a better partner for you."

Tay immediately grabbed New's hand. "Love, no. Please don't. I swear he's not a threat to us at all. I'll make sure to assign all projects that have something to do with him to another executive at the office. I will never talk to him nor see him again.

"And about him being a better businessman than you, who cares? Heck, even if he was Jeff Bezos, I still won't choose him over you. I swear you have nothing to worry about."

New grinned. "Of course I'm not worried about him. You didn't let me finish. I said he's obviously a better partner for you. That's true. But only because he comes from a political family and for sure, you would enjoy all the perks that that kind of connection brings.

"I've done a quick research about him and aside from being the son of a governor, he has nothing much to bring to the table. He had mediocre grades in college and has not really worked a day in his life aside from his position in his parent's company right now.

"I saw right through him when he came and talked to me. I knew he had a hidden agenda. There's no way someone like him would have interest in investing in a small, struggling café like mine since we didn't really know each other and it was his first time to visit."

New looked into Tay's eyes and tightened his grip on his hand.

"Anyway, I guess I have not said this to you yet but I guess I have to say it now. You are mine Tay Ramos. And I won't let anyone steal you from me," New cracked his knuckles as he said this. "But of course, if you're not happy with me anymore and you want to be with someone else, I won't stop you."